Twenty Thousand Hertz+

The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.

Design
Arts
Music Commentary
101
I'm Lovin' It
Ba da ba ba ba.
23 min
102
Sound 101 with Bill Nye
Listen up! It’s time to go back to basics on the physics of sound.
22 min
103
Synesthesia
What’s it like to see sounds and taste names?
25 min
104
Sing Gently
How an internet choir connects singers around the world at a time when they can't sing together.
33 min
105
Sounds Worth Saving
Legendary music archivist Alan Lomax made it his life's work to preserve and promote the sounds of local culture.
24 min
106
Conlang
From Klingon to Elvish, what makes a good constructed language?
26 min
107
Space Audity
The mind-boggling technology behind space communication.
21 min
108
Sonic Utopia
What can we expect the future to sound like, and how can we build a sonic utopia?
25 min
109
Sound and Silence
The way we each experience sound depends on so many unique factors, from tiny receptors in our ears to the way we were taught to communicate.
48 min
110
Dies Irae
How a four-note melody from the 13th century became a movie soundtrack superstar.
26 min
111
Perfect Pitch
What's it like when every sound you hear—from the whir of the coffee grinder to the beep of the microwave—all sound like musical notes?
27 min
112
Tyrannosaurus FX
The sound design wizardry behind the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, and how these sounds compare to what dinos REALLY sounded like.
23 min
113
Napster
The stunning rise and fall of Napster, and how it transformed the music industry in a few short years.
36 min
114
Vocal Discords
A diagnosis of vocal nodes is every singer's worst nightmare. But when nodes develop, is all hope truly lost?
21 min
115
Deepfake Dallas
Is your voice your own? Maybe not anymore.
22 min
116
The City That Never Sleeps
The link between chronic noise and chronic anxiety may be closer than we realize.
23 min
117
Tudum! It's Netflix
The never-before-told story behind the iconic Netflix sound.
21 min
118
McElroys, Mysteries and Me
The McElroy brothers, hosts of My Brother, My Brother and Me, compete in a heated and hilarious game of mystery sounds.
41 min
119
Hamilton Remix
How the sound design of Hamilton draws the audience into the story.
28 min
120
Stop... Collaborate & Listen
Theft or inspiration? Part two of a deep dive into the complicated world of copyright, sampling and the ability to own a song.
23 min
121
Copyrights & Wrongs
Theft or inspiration? Part one of a deep dive into the complicated world of Copyright.
24 min
122
Makin' Whoopee!
The history and science behind our favorite fart sound-maker, the whoopee cushion.
26 min
123
Star Wars: Pew Pew!
The story behind the sound design of Star Wars: How legendary Sound Designer Ben Burtt helped transport audiences to a galaxy far, far away.
29 min
124
That's All Folks!
The story of Mel Blanc, Part 2. The accident, recovery, and passing of the torch.
20 min
125
Ehh... What's Up, Doc?
The early life and career of Mel Blanc.
24 min